Black Tie Affair
by svenka
Summary: Burgh finds that his time at a party isn't wasted after all.


The pavement made sharp, chipper pops beneath his tap shoe soles. Burgh attempted to shut out everything but how pleasant this noise sounded, but was hardly successful.

"I should just go home," he muttered to himself, covering his eyes with both palms and leaning heavily against his knees. From where he sat outside Lenora's party, he could still hear their sounds of merrymaking inside. Elesa's voice cut through the rest of them like a knife, making him frown. It was just like her to pull a stunt like this. She'd mentioned off-hand that the party was a costume affair, and he hadn't even bothered to double-check the information. His mistake for trusting her. She never meant any harm by it. This time, for instance, she probably just wanted to see him looking cute. He did have the most adorable bug costumes, and he hardly ever got to wear them. No, he wasn't upset by her motive. He was upset by the fact that he hadn't brought a change of clothes, and there was no way he was going to hang out around the other gym leaders and their families dressed in a Volcarona costume. No, he really should just get home.

He checked his watch. He'd been sitting outside for almost three hours. By this time, he probably could've flown home and back.

A creak behind him made him look over his shoulder, his white boa tickling his cheek. Brycen, dressed in his usual outfit, stood in the doorway, his stare icy. Burgh always got the feeling that he'd done something wrong when Brycen was around, and that he was being chastised for it.

"You're outside," Brycen said flatly, as if this were groundbreaking information.

"I am, aren't I," he managed a smile, shrugging, wishing more than anything that he'd gone home. Brycen didn't seem amused by this reply. The ice master made his way out, letting the door creak shut behind him. The sounds of the party, which had grown considerable during this time, fell into a dull thrum. Burgh felt even more separated than he had a moment ago, facing this socially awkward foe. He wasn't even sure why Brycen was out here. They hardly ever talked to each other during get-togethers like these. In fact, the recent catastrophe with Team Plasma had been the only real "teamwork" thing they'd ever done, and Burgh had felt the entire time that he was trying to prove something to the other trainers.

Bug pokemon aren't weak.

Brycen's steps were heavy against the pavement as he made his way over. Burgh frowned. Brycen's steps were never... heavy. As he got close, the bug trainer could see a foreign glint in the ice master's eyes. A glazing of his normal icy stare. A dulling of his sharp features. Was he... drunk? No way... Brycen hardly drank anything, and usually left parties early.

"I didn't see you. Thought you weren't coming," Brycen continued. Burgh rose to his feet, his red wings shimmering in the low light. He'd assumed that everyone saw him enter. But no, he'd gotten there early. That's right. Not everyone had arrived yet.

"Uh... sorry?" he said, wondering why he was even apologizing. What did Brycen care if he weren't there? The ice trainer paused, looking him over as if the costume had just now occurred to him. From the way he was standing, slightly off-kilter, it probably had.

"Are you headed home?" Burgh asked quickly, hoping to cut off the questions regarding his stupid costume. He didn't want to mention Elesa's dishonesty, even if it was her fault.

"Yes," Brycen said dismissively. Burgh nodded, ready to retrieve his own flying type and head off, when the other man continued, "You look..."

The bug trainer stopped, somewhat shocked. He didn't actually expect Brycen to comment on his clothes. He expected the very strange conversation, despite the odd fact that it had ever taken place at all, to be finished by now. Are you leaving? Yes. That sounded like a good enough ending to him. And here Brycen was, criticizing his outfit. Burgh frowned, resisting the urge to curl the bright red wings around himself, "Well, if I'd known we weren't dressing up, I wouldn-"

"...cute."

Burgh's entire stream of thought came crashing into the steel barrier of that word. So far from what he was expecting not only at this moment, but ever. To ever hear that word come out of the other gym leader's mouth. And more, about him? What in Unova...

"W... what?" he gasped, shocked. Brycen looked up, his expression revealing absolutely no embarrassment over his last words. He appeared as if he'd just been talking about the weather. Completely unabashed. Burgh, on the other hand, was in the process of turning the same shade of red as his wings. "I... I don't... I mean... I'm not..."

Brycen took a few steps forward, and now Burgh could see just how glazed his expression was. He could see easily, because Brycen was currently knee-deep inside his personal bubble.

"Are you... drunk?" he asked softly, unable to conjure a more powerful voice. And this was exactly how Brycen always made him feel. Weak.

"I waited," the ice trainer continued lowly, and Burgh had the sudden sickening feeling that Brycen had absolutely no idea who he was talking to. When the trainer's hand came out, wrapping its strong fingers around the soft white boa, gently rubbing the soft material, Burgh lost the ability to even voice this concern. Pressure against the back of his neck alerted him to Brycen's other hand, and he felt the impulse of being captured. Netted. Chilled to the point of watching the world in slow motion. Unable to resist, despite feeling that something was definitely wrong here. That he didn't belong here. That he was going to deeply regret his actions.

Brycen's lips closed over his, sealing this sense of impending doom. He was going to the deepest, darkest pit of hell. He made a soft noise into the ice trainer's mouth, the only complaint he could muster, before Brycen pulled away. He looked just as he always had, although Burgh imagined he saw a slight bit of color in his cheeks that had never been there before. But now, the ice trainers eyes were aimed inward, unfocused and unseeing. His hands fell, and Burgh was surprised that in their absence he felt... cold.

He felt even worse when Brycen pulled out an ultraball and released a Swanna. His ticket home. The ice master climbed on the Pokemon's back, and Burgh readied his own ride, feeling shameful and low.

"The next one..." Brycen's voice was lower than usual, almost inaudible, and his eyes were still turned away. He could've been talking to someone across the street, except there was nobody there. He took a deep breath, and his voice gained back its usual power. Brycen looked back at him. "The next one will be a costume party, Burgh."

And with that, he was gone, heading back across the miles toward his gym and home. Burgh steadied himself to do the same, but he found that instead of feeling dark and cold, he felt... warm. One of the reasons he loved bugs so much. People could be so confusing.

A smile crept across his face.


End file.
